第3章 为政第二

2-1

子曰：“为政以德，譬如北辰，居其所而众星共之。”

Confucius remarked! “He who rules the people, depending upon the moral sentiment, is like the Pole-star, which keeps its place while all the other stars revolve round it.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“统治人民的统治者应当以道德教化来治理政事，就像北极星那样，使自己岿然不动，而群星都以它为中心来运转。”

2-2

子曰：“《诗》三百，一言以蔽之，曰‘思无邪’。”

Confucius remarked! “The Book of Ballads, Songs and Psalms* contains three hundred pieces. The moral of them all may be summed up in one sentence: 'Have no evil thoughts.'”

（Now called the Canon of Poetry, one of the so-called five Classics, in the Bible of China.）

【白话译文】

孔子说：“《诗经》中的《风》《雅》《颂》*一共有诗三百首。其中的道德观念或许可以总结成一句话：‘毫无邪念。’”

（《风》《雅》《颂》现在被当作诗歌的典范，是中国儒学五大经典之一，如同西方的《圣经》。）

2-3

子曰：“道之以政，齐之以刑，民免而无耻；道之以德，齐之以礼，有耻且格。”

Confucius remarked! “If in government you depend upon laws, and maintain order by enforcing those laws by punishments, you can also make the people keep away from wrongdoing, but they will lose the sense of shame for wrong-doing. If, on the other hand, in government you depend upon the moral sentiment, and maintain order by encouraging education and good manners, the people will have a sense of shame for wrong-doing and, moreover, will emulate what is good.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“管理一个国家，如果只是依赖法律，通过严刑峻法来强化法律，以达到维护社会秩序的目的，这样可以让百姓不会犯错，但是百姓对错误的行为不再会有羞耻感。相反，如果在管理国家的过程中，用道德教化引导百姓，通过鼓励教育和好的行为来维持秩序，那么百姓对错误的行为就会有羞耻感，而且会将良好的行为发扬光大。”

2-4

子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。”

Confucius remarked! “At fifteen I had made up my mind to give myself up to serious studies.At thirty I had formed my opinions and judgment.At forty I had no more doubts.At fifty I understood the truth in religion.At sixty I could understand whatever I heard without exertion.At seventy I could follow whatever my heart desired without transgressing the law.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“我十五岁时立志于严谨治学；三十岁时形成了自己的观点和判断标准；四十岁时不再被外界事物迷惑；五十岁时懂得了信仰的真理；六十岁时能毫不费力地理解所听到的任何事情；七十岁时能够随心所欲做自己喜欢的事情，而不会违背法律和道德观念。”

2-5

孟懿子问孝。子曰：“无违。”樊迟御，子告之曰：“孟孙问孝于我，我对曰无违。”樊迟曰：“何谓也？”子曰：“生，事之以礼；死，葬之以礼，祭之以礼。”

A noble of Court in Confucius'native State asked him what constituted the duty of a good son. Confucius answered! “Do not fail in what is required of you.”

Afterwards, as a disciple was driving him in his carriage, Confucius told the disciple, saying! “My Lord M—asked me what constituted the duty of a good son, and I answered! 'Do not fail in what is required of you.'”

“What did you mean by that?” asked the disciple.

“I meant!” replied Confucius! “when his parents are living, a good son should do his duties to them according to the usage prescribed by propriety; when they are dead, he should bury them and honour their memory according to the rites prescribed by propriety.”

【白话译文】

孔子的故国（鲁国）有一位贵族（孟懿子[9]）问孔子，作为一个孝子，应该做什么。孔子回答：“做好自己该做的事情。”

后来，当孔子的一位学生（樊迟[10]）给孔子驾车时，孔子告诉这个学生说：“孟孙大人问我一个孝子应该做什么。我回答说：‘做好自己该做的事情。’”

樊迟问：“您那么说是什么意思？”

“我的意思是，”孔子回答，“当父母在世的时候，孝子要按照礼节规定的惯例去履行自己对父母的职责；当父母去世后，孝子要按照礼的仪式埋葬并祭祀父母。”

2-6

孟武伯问孝。子曰：“父母唯其疾之忧。”

A son of the noble mentioned above put the same question to Confucius as his father did. Confucius answered! “Think how anxious your parents are when you are sick, and you will know your duty towards them.”

【白话译文】

上面提到的贵族（孟懿子）的儿子（孟武伯[11]）在父亲死后，问孔子同样的问题。孔子回答：“只要想到当你生病的时候，父母有多么焦虑，你就知道该如何对父母尽孝了。”

2-7

子游问孝。子曰：“今之孝者，是谓能养。至于犬马，皆能有养，不敬，何以别乎？”

A disciple of Confucius asked him the same question as the above. Confucius answered! “The duty for a good son nowadays means only to be able to support his parents. But you also keep your dogs and horse alive.If there is no feeling of love and respect, where is the difference?”

【白话译文】

孔子的一位学生（子游[12]）也问过孔子上面同样的问题。孔子回答：“如今孝子的责任仅仅意味着能够赡养父母。但是，你也养着狗和马。对父母如果没有敬爱和尊重，和养动物又有什么区别呢？”

2-8

子夏问孝。子曰：“色难。有事，弟子服其劳；有酒食，先生馔，曾是以为孝乎？”

Another disciple asked the same question. Confucius answered! “The difficulty is with the expression of your look.That merely when anything is to be done the young people do it, and when there is food and wine the old folk are allowed to enjoy it! —do you think that is the whole duty of a good son?”

【白话译文】

孔子的另一位学生（子夏）也问了同样的问题。孔子回答：“难就难在做事情时的态度。如果仅仅是有需要年轻人做的事情，年轻人去做了；而当有好酒美食的时候允许老人一起享用——你以为这就是一个孝子的全部责任么？”

2-9

子曰：“吾与回言终日，不违如愚。退而省其私，亦足以发，回也不愚。”

Confucius, speaking of a favourite disciple whose name was Yen Hui!*remarked! “I have talked with him for one whole day, during which he has never once raised one single objection to what I have said, as if he were dull of understanding. But when he has retired, on examining into his life and conversation I find he has been able to profit by what I have said to him.No—he is not a man dull of understanding.”

（The St. John of the Confucian gospel! —a pure, heroic, ideal character, the disciple whom the Master loved.As the name of this disciple occurs very frequently throughout the book, we here depart from our rule of eliminating all Chinese proper names, and shall hereafter always introduce him by name.）

【白话译文】

孔子在谈到他最喜欢的学生颜回*时，说道：“我曾和他谈论过一整天，在这一天中，他对我说的话几乎没有提过一次反对的意见，好像理解起来很愚钝。但是当他退出去之后，我考察他的生活和言谈举止，我发现他能从我告诉他的话里面受益。是的——他一点都不愚钝。”

（颜回[13]就像孔子思想的传教士圣约翰——这是一个纯洁、勇敢而理想的角色，也是孔子最喜欢的学生。因为这个学生的名字经常出现在《论语》中，我们便不再像通常那样采用省略姓名的方式，而是在以后直接引用他的名字。）

2-10

子曰：“视其所以，观其所由，察其所安，人焉廋哉？人焉廋哉？”

Confucius remarked! “You look at how a man acts; consider his motives; find out his tastes.How can a man hide himself; how can he hide himself from you?”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“通过观察一个人的所作所为来了解其动机，发现其嗜好，那么他还能掩饰自己吗？他还有什么能隐藏得了呢？”

2-11

子曰：“温故而知新，可以为师矣。”

Confucius remarked! “If a man will constantly go over what he has acquired and keep continually adding to it new acquirements, he may become a teacher of men.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“如果不断地复习已经学过的知识，并且不断补充新的知识，一个人就可能成为人们的老师。”

2-12

子曰：“君子不器。”

Confucius remarked! “A wise man will not make himself into a mere machine fit only to do one kind of work.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“聪明人不会把自己变成仅仅适合做一种工作的机器。”

2-13

子贡问君子。子曰：“先行其言而后从之。”

A disciple enquired what constituted a wise and good man. Confucius answered! “A wise and good man is one who acts before speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.”

【白话译文】

一位学生（子贡）问孔子，什么样的人才算是聪明高尚的人。孔子回答：“聪明高尚的人，就是先做后说，然后再根据自己所做的事情去发表意见。”

2-14

子曰：“君子周而不比，小人比而不周。”

Confucius remarked! “A wise man is impartial, not neutral. A fool is neutral but not impartial.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“聪明人会不偏不倚，但不会保持中立；愚蠢的人会保持中立，却做不到不偏不倚。”

2-15

子曰：“学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。”

Confucius remarked! “Study without thinking is labour lost. Thinking without study is perilous.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“只知道学习而不去思考，只是枉费精力而没有收获；只是一味地思考而不去学习，就会陷入迷茫。”

2-16

子曰：“攻乎异端，斯害也已。”

Confucius remarked! “To give oneself up to the study of metaphysical theories—that is very injurious indeed.”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“只顾着埋头钻研形而上学理论，这确实是非常有害的。”

2-17

子曰：“由，诲女知之乎！知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。”

Confucius said to a disciple! “Shall I teach you what is understanding? To know what it is that you know, and to know what is that you do not know! —that is understanding.”

【白话译文】

孔子对一位学生（仲由[14]）说：“你还要我来教你什么是理解吗？知道自己明白了什么，知道自己不明白什么——这就是理解。”

2-18

子张学干禄。子曰：“多闻阙疑，慎言其余，则寡尤；多见阙殆，慎行其余，则寡悔。言寡尤，行寡悔，禄在其中矣。”

A disciple was studying with a view to preferment. Confucius said to him! “Read and learn everything, but suspend your judgment on anything of which you are in doubt; for the rest, be careful in what you say: in that way you will give few occasions for men to criticize what you say.Mix with the world and see everything, but keep away and do not meddle with anything which may bring you into trouble; for the rest, be careful in what you do: in that way you will have few occasions for self-reproach.”

“Now if in your conversation you give few occasions for men to criticise you, and in your conduct you have few occasions for self-reproach, you cannot help getting preferment, even if you would.”

【白话译文】

孔子的一位学生（子张[15]）想学谋取官职的办法。孔子说：“要多读书学习，有疑问的地方暂时放在一边；其余那些你知道的，也要谨慎地说出来。这样，你所说的话就不会轻易遭到别人的批评。要走向社会，观察世事，但要远离其中，不要让自己卷入麻烦。然后，注意自己的行为，这样你就不会因为犯错而感到自责。与人交谈的时候，尽量少给别人攻击的机会，在自己的行为上也少出现自责的情况。那么，即使你不想升官，也是不可能的。”

2-19

哀公问曰：“何为则民服？”孔子对曰：“举直错诸枉，则民服；举枉错诸直，则民不服。”

The reigning prince of his native State asked Confucius what should be done to secure the submission of the people. Confucius answered! “Uphold the cause of the just and put down every cause that is unjust, and the people will submit. But uphold the cause of the unjust and put down every cause that is just, then the people will not submit.”

【白话译文】

孔子故国在位的国君（鲁哀公[16]）问孔子，怎么做才能保证百姓服从统治。孔子回答：“坚持正确的举措，放弃不正确的举措，百姓就会服从统治。但是，如果坚持不正确的举措而放弃正确的举措，那么百姓就不会服从统治。”

2-20

季康子问：“使民敬忠以劝，如之何？”子曰：“临之以庄，则敬；孝慈，则忠；举善而教不能，则劝。”

A noble who was the minister in power in the government in Confucius'native State asked him what should be done to inspire a feeling of respect and loyalty in the people, in order to make them exert themselves for the good of the country. Confucius answered! “Treat them with seriousness and they will respect you.Let them see that you honour your parents and your prince, and are considerate for the welfare of those under you, and the people will be loyal to you.Advance those who excel in anything and educate the ignorant, and the people will exert themselves.”

【白话译文】

孔子祖国的一位贵族、在政府当权的部长季康子[17]问孔子，怎么做才能激发百姓敬重尊长、忠于国家的情感，以便让百姓为了国家利益而贡献力量。孔子回答：“认真对待百姓，百姓就会尊敬你；让百姓看到你有多么尊敬自己的父母，多么效忠于自己的国君，多么体贴比自己职位低的人，百姓就会忠诚于你；提拔勇于做事的人，教育没有文化的人，百姓就会为国家贡献力量。”

2-21

或谓孔子曰：“子奚不为政？”子曰：“《书》云：‘孝乎惟孝，友于兄弟，施于有政。’是亦为政，奚其为为政？”

Somebody asked Confucius, saying! “Why are you not taking part in the government of the country?”

Confucius answered! "What does the'Book of Records'say of the duties of a good son?

“'Be dutiful to your parents; be brotherly to your brothers; discharge your duties in the government of your family.'These, then, are also duties of government. Why then must one take part in the government of the country in order to discharge the duties of government?”

【白话译文】

有人问孔子：“您为什么不出来做官，参与国家的政府管理呢？”

孔子回答：“《尚书》是怎么讲孝子的义务的？‘对父母尽孝，对兄弟友爱，管理家庭时减轻自己的责任。’这些也是政府的责任呀。那么，为了减轻政府的责任，为什么一定要出来做官，参与政府管理呢？”

2-22

子曰：“人而无信，不知其可也。大车无，小车无，其何以行之哉？”

Confucius remarked! “I do not know how men get along without good faith. A cart without a yoke and a carriage without harness! —how could they go?”

【白话译文】

孔子说：“我不知道人如果没有信誉，将如何处世。大马车没有挽具，小马车没有马具，将如何行进？”

2-23

子张问：“十世可知也？”子曰：“殷因于夏礼，所损益可知也；周因于殷礼，所损益可知也。其或继周者，虽百世，可知也。*”

A disciple asked Confucius whether ten generations after their time the state of the civilization of the world*could be known.

Confucius answered! “The House of Yin adopted the civilisation of the Hsia dynasty; what modifications they made is known.The present Chou dynasty adopted the civilization of the House of Yin; what modifications this last dynasty made are also known.Perhaps some other may hereafter take the place of the present Chou dynasty; but should that happen a hundred generations after this, the state of the civilisation of the world!*then, can be known.”

[That is, China.

That is, China. The period of the Hsia dynasty (B.C.2205-1818) was to a man in China of Confucius'time what the period of the Greek history would be to a modern man of Europe today.The Yin dynasty (B.C 1766-1154) was, in like manner, what the period of the Roman history would be to a modern man.]

【白话译文】

孔子的一位学生（子张）问是否能知道十代以后的社会文明状态。孔子回答：“殷朝继承了夏朝的文明，殷朝在夏朝的基础上做了哪些修改是很清楚的。现在的周朝继承了殷朝的文明，它对前朝做了哪些修改也很清楚。或许会有其他的朝代来代替现在的周朝，但是如果真的出现朝代更替，那么百代之后的社会文明也是可以预知的。”

[夏朝（前2205-前1818）对于孔子时代的人来说，相当于希腊时代之于当代的欧洲人。同样，殷朝（前1766-前1154）对于当代欧洲人来说相当于罗马时代。[18]]

2-24

子曰：“非其鬼而祭之，谄也。见义不为，无勇也。”

Confucius remarked! “To worship a spirit to whom one is not bound by a real feeling of duty or respect is idolatry;*to see what is right and to act against one's judgment shows a want of courage.”

[Literally “servility.” “C'est une Malheur des gens honnétes qu'ils sont des làches.” —Voltaire.（It is a misfortune of good people that they are dastards.）]

【白话译文】

孔子说：“如果不是出于真正的情感或敬意而去拜神，是盲目崇拜；*知道什么是正确的，却没有按照自己的判断去做事，表明缺乏勇气。”

（从文学的角度而言，即“奴性”。懦弱是老实人的悲惨命运。——伏尔泰）